He went on in the interview to suggest the best premiers come from Quebec.

"Certainly when we look at the great prime ministers of the 20th Century, those that really stood the test of time, they were MPs from Quebec. This country -- Canada -- it belongs to us."

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Trudeaus Alberta Comments Reaction

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Despite the apology, Trudeau continues to suggest the quotes were somehow misinterpreted.

He insists he was attempting to use a "shorthand" to criticize Prime Minister Stephen Harper, not the people of Alberta.
The governing Conservatives have seized on the video to attack Trudeau, particularly in Calgary, where a byelection scheduled for next week has become more competitive than expected.

"Justin knows that Calgary, Alberta and all of western Canada are at the very heart of Canada's future. That's a message he has taken to every part of the country, from the beginning of the campaign. We need to get beyond the divisive politics of the Conservatives and include all Canadians."

(With files from CP)

CORRECTION: A previous version of the story misspelled the name of Gerald Butts.